I have read many, many threads here about pay-your-dues and be a flight instructor to gain experience and the min. required flight time needed to send-off those resumes to the regionals. Teaching is a great profession, and I will guess (from my experience) only 30-40% of the flight instructors out there have their hearts in there jobs...so why do it? Well, you do it because you need TIME! I would rather have this individual go pay for the right seat rather than ride on students wallets anyway.

Since the main gripe is "Oh you have to pay-your-dues to be respected in the aviation community, so flight instruct," is just hog wash. This isn't 1960 anymore this is 2010 and the aviation industry is completely different. This thinking is just out of date and made by pilots who are complainers anyway. Either you want to fly or you don't? What the industry wants and needs are good pilots who want to be the best at what they do...they first live to fly! Look at the highly paid PIC from the Delta flight into Min. who was griping so much over money he jepordized the safety of the flight? In my opinion, if his heart isn't into flying anymore then leave.

I am not at all saying hire pilots because they just hand MGMT some money...NOT AT ALL. The pilot has to be qualified!

In these pay for training opportunities, pilots are NOT just given the job because they have money. They go through the same training as any other pilot...high quality Part 135 or Part 121 training. If they can't perform, then they don't fly...not exactly the same for flight instructors at least to a point anyway. The military doesn't believe in having pilots just log time to move to the next level. Most F16 pilots have or start with only 400hrs. I believe it's important to seek out high quality training, flying the biggest and fastes aircraft you can gain experience flying. How many hours of C-172 time does a pilot need to master this aircraft? You paid to fly the C-172 so what if you paid to fly the shorts 360?

Don't forget the pilot who does decide to pay for the right seat is probably flying freight (most of these programs are by freight companies...Gulfstream has one I know). It's hard work flying at night on instruments probably with no autopilot. The pilots fly and sit...it isn't fun and they do it to show they have the desire to advance. Some get moved around every month and don't have a place to live. Some pilots have lived in their cars until they can afford to rent an apt. because they are not getting paid...right? Plus, a lot of the freight FOs have even help load and unload the freight. Yes, these pilots are PAYING THEIR DUES and gaining experience no flight instructor could ever obtain. You fly in all the weather, at night in real IMC. If I am hiring, I choose the pilot who has this kind of experience.

Lastly, as my title states, "Safety is a consideration." Flight instructing in little aircraft (part 61 or part 141) just isn't as safe as flying part 135 or 121 ops or aircraft. Flight instructing for 700-800hrs in training aircraft at uncontrolled airports is higher risk of a mishap. (I think general aviation is safe, but again it is all in the law of averages...what about the other guy who hits you and now you can't pass a first-class medical??? Something to think about?) One mishap and your career can be over before you start? Why take the risk? A talented athlete uses this theroy all-the-time (especially if they are good like a good pilot).

Anyway new pilots with 400-500hrs, who have the money should look into a good first officer program. One thought is to obtain your CFI first! The CFI rating is looked at very highly by those who hire. This rating is not easy to obtain...the check-ride will be the hardest of them all. Then look into buliding time within a good first officer program, unless you really need to practice those turns-around-a-point on a nice sunny day...however some really need to, you decide?